Cline Frasier

Technical Assistant to the Chief of the Guidance & Control Division

Cline Frasier graduated with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering in 1957 from Washington State University. After earning a Master’s from University of New Mexico, he went to MIT for his Master’s in Management. Frasier went to work at NASA in 1962 at the Manned Spacecraft Center. He was Technical Assistant to the Chief of the Guidance and Control Division and subsequently Project Manager, Apollo Primary Guidance, Navigation and Control System.

While he wasn't responsible for designing anything on the GNC, Frasier made many of the decisions to strip bulk from the command module. His contributions altered the designs the Instrumentation Lab implemented—adding an autopilot to the digital computer so that it was possible to reduce the number of computers from two to one. After his work on Apollo, he moved on to the Space Shuttle program to lead the Shuttle Electronics Technology Task Force.

Frasier was awarded NASA’s Exceptional Service award in 1969 and the Superior Achievement Award in 1970. He also received the Department of Transportation Secretary’s Award for Meritorious Achievement in 1976 and Washington State University’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2016.